Apron-fastening device.



'PATENTBD APR. 23, 1907..

.NQL 850,960.

' M. J. OOONNOR.

APRON FASTENING nEvIcB. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 15. 1906..

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MICHAEL J. OCONNOR, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

APRON-FASTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed May 15, 1906. Serial No. 317,012.

To will whom it may concern:

Be it known that LMIoI-rAnL J. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apron-Fastening Devices, of which the following is a specification. My invention contemplates certain improvements in fastening means for aprons, particularly that. type of apron commonly employed for bartenders or waiters use or the like.

Aprons of the type above mentioned are commonly provided at their upper edge with corner-gromets of metal, in each of which an apron-string is secured, so that the apron is fastened around the body by merely tying together the free ends of the strings. Many difficulties, resulting in considerable annoyance and expense, have arisen by the use of such strings. For instance, in order to make a neat appearance the strings are usually tied at ones back and often become so knotted that it is impossible to untie the strings without considerable trouble, and often result in the necessity of breaking apart the fastening or cutting the string. Furthermore, the strings must be detached from the apron when the latter is washed. Otherwise the strings would become knotted or tangled in the washing operation. The operation of removing the strings preparatory to washing involves considerable labor and consequent expense, a large number of hands being necessarily employed to erform this work in those establishments W ich make a business of furnishing these aprons to bartenders or waiters, as is customary.

The main object of my invention is to provide an improved means for fastening the apron around the persons body which will do away with the difliculties above mentioned and at the same time result in positiveadvantageous features.

1 For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to behad to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a waist-belt, showing two of my improved clips applied thereto, and also showing in dotted lines portions of an apron engaged by said clips. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the waist-belt, it being illustrated with one of the clips only applied thereon, and in juxtaposition thereto a corner fragment of an apron indicating the manner in which the clip is attached to the gromet of the apron. Fig. 3 is a longitu dinal sectional view of one of my improved clips, a portion of the Waist-belt being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating another form of my invention. Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the waist-belt in such form with the clips attached thereto and on an enlarged scale.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1.

indicates my improved clips. Each clip is preferably composed of a base-plate 2 and a inged latch-plate 3, pivotally mounted on the base-plate. In the preferred construction the base-plate 2 is provided at opposite sides with upturned ears 1, and the latchplate is provided with oppositely-turned ears 5, and a pintle 6 is inserted through said ears, whereby to hinge the latch-plate to the baseplate. A leaf-spring 7 is secured between the rear end of the latch-plate and the baseplate and tends to normally hold the front end of the latch-plate in contact with the base-plate, as illustrated in the drawings. The base-plate 2 is provided near one end with an aperture 8, and the front end of the latch-plate 3 is provided with a beveled lug 9, designed to enter said aperture. One end of the base-plate 2 is turned outwardly, preferably in a curve, as shown at 10, and is provided at its lower side with a recess 1 1 at such end, while the other end of the base plate is formed, preferably at the lower corner thereof, with a finger 12, projecting outwardly from the outer face of the plate and inclined toward the 0 posite end thereof. The curved end 10 of the base-plate constitutes a finger-hold. The base-plate 2 is further formed at its side edges with two pairs of re taming-lugs 13, extending toward each other and together forming guides designed to receive a waist-belt 14, so that the clips may slide freely along the waist-belt except as hereinafter provided. The waist-belt 14 is provided at one end with any desired form of buckle 15, and it is also provided, preferably throughout its entire length or a major portion thereof, with eyes or holes 16.

In the practical use of my invention the jwaist-belt 14 is fastened around the wearers waist, the buckle being placed, preferably, at the front. A pair of clips, above described, is used. The two clips 1 are received upon the waist-belt 14 with their front ends containing the inclined fingers 12 facing each other. Viewing the device from the back of the person having the waist-belt on, the finger 12 of the right-hand clip is inserted in the left-hand gromet 18 of the apron 19, and the finger 12 of the clip to the left is likewise inserted in the right-hand gromet of the apron. The beveled lugs of the latch-plates are designed to take into the holes or eyes of the waist-belt, and the beveled surfaces of these lugs are located on the outer sides, so that the clips may be moved away from each other to overlap the two portions of the apron to a greater extent to bind the apron to the proper degree, While at the same time the clips will not be permitted to move toward each other with the lugs taking into the holes of the waist-belt.

It is obvious that the clips may be moved in one direction by the spring action of the latch-plates, while in order to move the clips toward each other or in opposite directions it is necessary to press upon the rear ends of the latch-plates to withdraw the lugs from the holes in the Waist-belt.

In order to fasten the apron to the wearers body, it is only necessary to secure the gromets on the inclined fingers, before mentioned, and then draw the clips apart by merely placing ones fingers or thumbs in the finger-holds formed by the curved ends of the base-plates.

It will be seen that in that form of the mvention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the rear edges of the apron 19 are necessarily overlapped when secured around the body of the wearer. Hence such construction would not be applicable to persons of such girth that the edges of the apron will just meet or fail to meet when placed around the body. To provide for such cases, I have provided a construction of belt illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and this belt may be used entirely as a substitute for the belt 14 or, if desired, only in those cases where the belt.14 could not be used.

As seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the waist-belt (there designated 14) is provided with two series of apertures 16 to receive the lugs 9 of the clips 1, said series being arranged one above the other, and there being provided a longitudinal slot 17 in the belt between the two series of apertures and of such width that the clips 1 may readily pass each other. Preferably also in this arrangement of the parts the finger 12 of one clip is at a corner of the base-plate 2 opposite thatcorner of the other clip where the other finger 12 is located.

Fig. 4 shows the two clips mounted to slide on the belt in different horizontal tion with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that l. have provided an improved fastener for aprons of the type described which does away with the old strings, the disadvantages of which have been pointed out, and which provides a simple and efficient means for readily securing the apron around the body of the wearer, and also simple and efficient means for detaching or unfa'stening the apron;

It will be noticed that the apron completely hides the waist-belt, and thereby presents a neat appearance, and'that it may be overlapped at its rear edges to any desired degree without being noticeable, as it would be if strings were employed, because in the latter condition the strings would have to be fastened at the front. It is also to be noticed that by the employment of the waist-belt the front portion of the apron may be tucked into the waist-belt to any desired degree, so as to maintain the apron with its lower edge at the required elevation. The latchplates 3 are preferably cut out along one side to provide recesses 20, and said recesses, together with the cut-away portion of the finger-hold ends of the base-plates, provide clearance for the upper edge of the a ron, so that the apron will not necessariy lie over the entire surface of the latchplates, and thereby interfere with the proper action thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A device of the character described, comprising a waist-belt, and clips mounted to slide thereon and provided with means for automatically limiting the sliding movement to one direction, said clips being provided with fingers designed to take into the gromets of an apron.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a waist-belt, and clips mounted to slide on said belt, said clips being provided with spring latch-plates designed to permit the free movement of said clips in one direction only, and said clips being also provided with fingers designed to take into the gromets of an apron.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a waist-belt provided with a series of holes or eyes, and clips mounted to slide on said waist-belt and each provided with a finger designed to take into the gromet of an apron, said clips comprising base-plates each formed with an aperture and pivoted latchplates each having a beveled lug designed to extend through the apertures and into the holes in the waistbelt as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a waist-belt provided with apertures, and clips mounted to slide on said belt and provided with lugs adapted to enter said apertures-to hold the clips at different adjusted positions on the belt, each clip being provided with means for holding an apron.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a waist-belt provided with two series of apertures and a slot interposed between said series, and clipsprovided with retaining-lugs engaging the two longitudinal portions of the belt produced by said slot and provided with means for engaging in said apertures, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aI'IiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL J. OCONNOR. Witnesses:

WM. T. ROGERS, JAMEs M. OARIco. 

